Robson takes step back as sackings raise serious doubts over Hearts

STUART BATHGATE
CHIEF SPORTS WRITER

SIR Bobby Robson appeared close to ending his interest in the managerial vacancy at Hearts yesterday, as the odds shortened considerably on Charlton boss Alan Curbishley taking over.

The former England manager did not rule himself out of the running officially, saying he had explained his views on how to run the club to majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov and was awaiting a response from Tynecastle. He did say, however, that the departure of George Burley and Phil Anderton had caused him concern, and the fact that Romanov has now turned his attention further afield is a sign that Hearts have given up hopes of recruiting the erstwhile front-runner.

"I know George Burley very well, and I got to know Phil Anderton equally well," Sir Bobby said of the former manager and chief executive. "I liked him [Anderton] enormously. He is a top man, and I went home and thought 'I could work for him. He's intelligent, forthright and honest.' But he has lost his job and that gives me a lot of concern.

"But the owner or chairman of a club is a very important man. More often than not, him being right is right for the club, it's a difficult one. So I'm just waiting, watching, listening.

"When I went to Edinburgh for the funeral of Johnny Haynes, I took the opportunity of meeting Vladimir Romanov. He runs the club, there is no question about that. I put forward my views, and am awaiting a response from them.

"I know how competent I am, and what I can do despite my age. I know I have one good job left in me. I'm one of these people who wants to work. Some people want to retire as soon as possible, but I passed retirement age seven years ago and have no plans to stop." If appointed, Sir Bobby would be invited to nominate a coach to work under him, with the favourite being John Carver, his No 2 at Newcastle.

The notion that Curbishley would want to take the Hearts job may seem unlikely given his success with Charlton, but a flurry of betting yesterday led William Hills to suspend their book on which Premiership manager will be first to leave his job this season. Hills later reopened the book, but only after the odds on Curbishley had been cut from 80/1 to 16/1. "Curbishley has been widely regarded as possibly the safest manger in the Premiership", said William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe. "But after we took a string of bets from customers in the Edinburgh area where rumours were circulating that Curbishley was a serious contender for the Hearts job, we temporarily suspended the book in case any announcement was imminent.

"It seems very unlikely that a manager who reportedly turned down a move to West Ham, just a couple of miles down the road, would move hundreds of miles for a different club in a different league in a different country and apparently in off-the-field crisis. However, we can't afford to take any chances", added Sharpe.

One candidate who is avowedly unperturbed by the turmoil at Tynecastle is Wim van Hanegem. "I am aware of what has been happening at Tynecastle and the club is at the start of a very exciting period," said the former Dutch international.

Lothar Matthaus, meanwhile, is no longer interested. The Hungary coach has begun talks to take charge at Nuremberg.

Taken from the Scotsman